Apparatus for synchronizing cinematograph projections with music, singing, or the like



. 1,497,471 J. APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZI'NG CINEMATOGRAPH PROJECTIONS WITH MUSIC,

June 10, 1924.

E. ANDREAU SINGING, OR THE LIKE Filed June 5 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

June- 10 1924. 1,497,471

. ANDREAU EMATOGRAPH PROJECTIONS WITH MUSIC,

LIKE 920 4 J. E APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING CIN SINGING, OR THE Flled June 5 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 am I W M U. m Z4 fi w Patented June 10, 1924.

rum OFFICE.

UETED STATES APPARATUS FQR Applicatiohflled June a,

To all 'whom it may concern. I

Be' it known that I, JEAN EDOUAKD AN-.

DREAU, a citizen of the French a resident of 39 Boulevard Montparnasse,

Paris, France, have invented new and useful Improvementsin an Ap aratus for Synchronizing (linemato aph rojections with Music, Singing, or t ev-like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for synchronizingcinematograph projections with music, singing or the like. In known ar- Republic, and

rangements of this kind, attempts have been made to effect the synchronization by means 1 of devices affecting the motor of the cinematograph-"apparatus. By reason of the in-.

ertia of the revolving partsof the motor, there always occurs abreak .or variation between the moment atewhich the device comes into operation and that at which the desired alteration-of speed is obtained, so that it has not hitherto been possible to ef fectsatisfactory synchronization.

The arrangement according to thepresent invention allows these drawbacks to be avoided, by effecting the by remote control of the cinematograph without interference by the motor, which continues to rotate at its normal speed; this synchronization obviates disturbances due to the inertia of the revolving parts of the motor and moreover obtains the variation of the rate of speed in an almost instantaneous manner. This condition is essential for allowing the 5 film to be fed or advanced intimeflwith the music or singing, .disturbances arising from inconstant driving current,-ivariation in the resistance of the film, irregularity of the motion when 40 taking the pictures, desired or accidental variations in the tempoof the orchestra, or other causes.

The improved arrangement consists in interposing, between the motor and one-of 4 the parts transmitting the motion of the latter to, the cinematograph apparatus, a transmission device. adapted to afford a "driven speed which varies automatically in inverse proportlon to the mechanical resist- 5 ance to be overcome, while the motor revolves constantly at its "rated or normal speed whatever he the intensityof the resistance.

By subjecting one of the parts driven so as to correct any Y which a current JEAN EDOUARI) ANDREAU, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

SYNCHIRO'NIZING CINEMA'IOGRAPE PROJECTIONS WITH MUSIC,

SINGING, OR THE LIKE.

1920. Seriallio. 388,240.

constant, the resistance couple of the apparatus may be increased or decreased at will,

thus decreasing or increasing the speed of general way al or relation.

operation of the apparatus, and so ensuringv synchronization and in 'a desired variations of speed The transmission may be of the typedescribed'in my prior US. application Serial Number 301,511, filed June 3, 1919, in which the driving shaft is connected to the driven shaft by a planetary gear provided with eccentric masses which, under the action of centrifugal force, exert on the driven shaft reactions which are utilized for driving the latter shaft.

A form of carrying out the pr'esent invention, is represented diagrammatically by way of example, upon the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is an elevation showing a cinematograph provided with an, arrangement according to the present invention, in-which the braking action is effected by an electromagnetic brake operating upon the disc of the rotary shutter of the apparatus. v

Figure 2is a partial side view corresponding to Figure 1. 3

Figures 3 and 4 show modifications of the braking device.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section transmission gear.

The electric motor a, instead of actuating the movement of the cinematograph apparatus directly, is connected to this movement by means of a centrifugal transmission 5 similar to that described in my U. S. application Serial Number 301,511, filed June 3, 1919. Uponthe driven shaft 0 of this transmission is keyed a pulley d, which by means of a belt s operates the pulley 7'. upon the shaft carrying the shutter disc g of the cinematograph. The disc, which is formed of sheet metal or, the like, perforated or cut away in any suitable manner, is provided at its periphery with a continuous portion 9 without any excisions or notches, this portion revolving between the poles k of through the of, greater or less intensity may be passed, the regulation being effected an; electromagnet through .,however, are utilized to drive the member by means of a continuous current rheostat a ocated'atja dlstance.

A centrifugal transmission gear of the jtype' above -mentioned "iis= shown on-an en- "i'arged scale in Fig. :5..,In1the form illusit .comprises an internally toothed .gear'wheel b 'keyed to the motor shaft 6 and meshed with satellite pinions bMnounted freely on studs 6*: carried bythe-driven member 0. Each satellite pinion'b carries an-excentric mass b" which rotates therewith. The excentric masses, during the rotation of the pinions, create (by centrifugal action) thrusts in opposite directions on the studs 6. The thrusts in one direction only,

fav since the latter is mounted on the frame 6? through a one way clutch bearing 1) (of the type commonly employed for bicycle wheels) and the frame absorbs the thrusts of the excentrics in the opposite or negative direction. Thus, if the motor a rotates at constant speed, and exerts a constant couple on the driving shaft 6 then the slower the' rotation of the driven member 0 (by reason of theresistances applied thereto) the.

' greater the speed of rotation of the pinions b and their excentric masses b Consequently the centrifugal force reactions re-' sulting from this increased speed of rotation, are intensified. By this form of transmission, a constant speed motor with constant driving couple, may be utilized to ro- ,tate a driven member at variable speed in accordance with avariable resistance applied thereto.

The disc revolvin g in the field of the elec tromagnet encounters a resistance to its motion proportional to the strength of the current, that is to say, it receives a braking action which is more or less energetic according to the intensity of, the current as controlled from a distance by the rheostatc.

The latter is so located as to allow a, person listening to the musical'reproductionto regulate the travel or feed of the filmin accordance with the music: The rheostat may. with advantage be placed within reach of the conductor of the orchestra. It may be provided with a dial having inscriptions of any useful indications, for example, a"

metronome scale, the same being also 1nscribed upon the base plate. An adjustable zero' may also be provided for daily regulation, to compensate for the greater s priori causes of inaccuracy, thus leaving only the secondary factors and reducing to a minimum the operations of the rheostat.

The electromagnetic brake may be replaced by any other suitable construction,

for example, a shoe-brake j having the shoe bearing upon the periphery of the shutter disc (Figure 3) or upon any revolving part. This brake maybe controlled from a distance by means of a. solenoid 7: acting upon a soft iron core 9' returned.-

-. P g] nd secured to the extremity of the brake lever. j

"@Alternatively thebrake may-consist of a.

fan-wheel kmounted upon i -the'fspindle of the shutter for example, andprojvided with anes'k which can'be feathered 6r turned aside to a greater or less extent. The vanes are displaced by connecting i'ods'k attached to the stem k which terminate in .a soft .iron core is exposed to the action of a sole. noid'k. The more strongly the core 10* is attracted by the solenoid, the less the resistance offered by the feathered vanes to the rotation of the fan wheel, and the less energetic therefore the braking action.

It will be evident that the invention is, not limited to these forms of construction of example, and that it may be carried out which have been indicated merely by way,

by any suitable means affording the same result.

What I claim is-- 1. In combination with a cinematograph, a constant speed driving motor, and an operati-ve connection therefrom to the cinematograph apparatus, said connectioneom prising transmission gear autoiii ticallv jm'atograph apparatus, said connection com prising transmission gear automatically varying the driven speed with the load, said transmission gear comprising a gear wheel directly, connected with the constantspeed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried by a driven membentogether with excentric, masses rotating with said planetary gears and exerting a torque on said driven member under the aetionof 'cen-:

trifugal force, in combination with manually controlled means for varying the load 3. In combination with a cinematograph,

a constant speed driving'motor, and an operative connection therefrom to the cinematograph apparatus, said connection comprising transmission gear automatically varying the driven speed with the load, said transmission gear comprising a gear wheel directly connected with the constant speed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried by a driven member, together with excentric masses rotating with said planetary gears andexerting .a torque on said driven member under the action of centrifugal force, in combination with electrically operated means for varying the load.

4. In combination with a cinematograph, a constant speed driving motor, and an operative connection therefrom to the cinematograph apparatus, said connection comprising transmission gear automatically varying the driven speed with the load, said transmission gear comprising a gear wheel directly connected with the constant speed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried bya driven member, together with excentric masses rotating with said planetary gears and exerting a torque on said driven member under the action of cen trifugal force, in combination with manually-controlled electrically-operated meansfor varying the load.

5. In combination with a cinematograph, a constant speed driving motor, and an operative connection therefrom to the cinematograph apparatus, said connection comprising' transmission gear automatically varying the driven speed With the load, said transmission gear comprising a gear wheel directly connected with the constant speed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried by a driven member, together withexcentric masses rotating with said planetary gears and exerting'a torque on said driven member under the action of centrifugal force, in combination with brake means for varying the load.

6. In combination With a cinematograph, a constant speed driving motor, and an operative connection therefrom to the cinematograph apparatus, said connection comprising transmission gear' automatically varying the driven speed with the load, said transmission gear comprising av gear wheel directly connected with the constant speed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried by a driven member, together with excentric masses rotating with said planetary gears and exerting a torque on said driven member under the action of centrifugal force, in combination with means for braking a driven member of the cinematograph to vary the load.

7. In combination with a cinematograph, a constant speed driving motor, and an operative connection therefrom. to the cinematograph apparatus, said connection com-' prising transmission gear automatically varying the driven speed with the load, said transmission gear comprising a gear wheel directly connected with the constant speed motor, planetary gears meshing therewith and carried by a driven member, together with excentric masses rotating with said planetary gears and exerting a torque on said driven member under the action of centrifugal force, in combination with means for applying a braking action to the shutter of the cinematograph to vary the load.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. v

JEAN EDOUARD ANDREAU Witnesses:

CHARLES KRUE, W, DEFERNMOND. 

